SEC trip intrigues Cochran
Matt Cochran called his camp visit to Alabama a business trip but the Atwater (Calif.) Buhach offensive lineman also had some fun in Tuscaloosa taking in all the history and tradition and hoping an offer comes his way.
Cochran, a 6-foot-4, 340-pound prospect, left Alabama's campus without an offer but optimistic one might be on the way after the Crimson Tide coaches wrap up their camps and they meet over the next few weeks.
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It was definitely a different environment that what Cochran is used to in Northern California but Alabama definitely left an impression on him.
"You have to love the tradition coming out here," Cochran said. "You just walk on the campus and you can feel it. The heat and the humidity is a killer. I almost passed out the first practice. I sweated out about 30 pounds of water.
"I started getting dizzy. They say the first practice is always the hardest. Coming from California, I was not used to that but the second practice went pretty good.
"I really don't know about an offer yet. This was a business trip for me. My goal is to come away with an offer but if not that means I have to start looking back out West."
The coaching staff told Cochran before he left that they'd finish up doing evaluations over the next few weeks and then he would know whether or not he was going to get an offer.
Before he heads back home, Cochran decided to take an unofficial visit to Auburn on Wednesday because coach Gene Chizik and offensive line coach Jeff Grimes have been reaching out more.
Cochran definitely has time to wait for offers because he doesn't plan to make his commitment until at least the start of his senior season.
So far, Arizona State, Boise State, Cal, Colorado, Nevada, San Jose State, SMU, UCLA, Utah, Washington and Washington State have offered.
"I can't even say I have a leader just because every coach pretty much puts the same thoughts in your head," Cochran said. "I'm kind of even-minded about all the schools.
"I can say that I am going to wait to commit at least until football season. I've had that dead set in my mind since the beginning of my junior year. I really want to pray about the decision."